May 2021: Arthur Beale announced that it would not be reopening its physical shop following the 2021 Coronavirus lockdown. Its second location in Buckinghamshire remains open, as does its online shop.
There are some odd shops in London, but few beat the surprise factor of finding a yacht chandler in Shaftesbury Avenue. Arthur Beale is a retail survivor, hanging on long after many of the other chandlers went bust. It may look old-fashioned – and it stubbornly holds out against this new-fangled internet thing – but the stock is as useful now as it ever was. On the ground floor you’ll find everything from reels of rope, ship’s bells, barometers and brass navigation lights to basic boating hardware such as cleats, fairleads and lacing hooks. On the first floor, you’ll find books, boots and lifejackets for the real or wannabe sailor.
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